Tasmania’s politicians have voted to accept a $30,000 pay rise despite the premier saying it fails to meet community expectations.
The 22 per cent increase approved by the state’s upper house on Thursday takes the base rate of MPs from $140,185 to $171,527, which is still the lowest in the country.
Tasmania’s Industrial Commission made the determination that politicians’ pay, which has been frozen since 2018, should go up.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the pay rise did not meet community expectations. Credit: AAP
Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who was re-elected into minority government in July, pledged to move a motion in parliament to ensure the pay rise did not go ahead.
It was unsuccessful in the upper house, however, with independents and Labor voting for the pay rise to proceed.
Rockliff said he would not be accepting the boost, and it is understood individual MPs can knock it back.
“As I have said, a pay increase of 22 per cent is unacceptable and not in line with community expectations,” he said in a statement.
“An increase of 3 per cent – in line with public sector workers – is appropriate.”
Rockliff’s pay would have increased by some $68,000 to $369,000, still the second-lowest of any state or territory leader.
AAP